A sub-word line circuit having a phase driver circuit to provide a first phase signal and a second phase signal. The sub-word line circuit includes a sub-word line driver circuit having a pull-up circuit configured to receive the first phase signal and a global word line signal. The pull-up circuit is further configured to drive a local word line to follow the global word line signal when the first phase signal is at a first value and isolate the local word line from the global word line signal when the first phase signal is at a second value. The sub-word line circuit also includes a processing device that sets the first phase signal to the first value prior to the global word line signal entering an active state and sets the first phase signal to the second value only after the global word line signal has entered a pre-charge state.